Ergonomic facemask for an athletic headpiece

ABSTRACT

An ergonomic facemask for a headpiece, including a wire cage having a plurality of horizontal wires and a plurality of vertical wires. The plurality of horizontal wires includes a horizontal wire configured to extend forward of a user&#39;s face at a height between the user&#39;s nose and the user&#39;s upper lip, and the plurality of vertical wires includes a center vertical wire that extends along the sagittal line of a user&#39;s face. The mutual arrangement of the center vertical wire together with the horizontal wire adequately shields a user&#39;s face while avoiding interference with, the user&#39;s field of view.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to protective headgear; and, moreparticularly, to a facemask for a headpiece, and a headpiece with thefacemask. In particular, the present invention relates to an athleticheadpiece having an ergonomic facemask.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In sports, there is often a risk of injury from a moving ball or otherprojectile. For example, when pitching or playing the field in baseballor softball there is a risk that a player might be struck in the facewith a ball. Given the risk of injury, it is common for players to wearprotective headgear. For example, a player might wear a headpiece 10,such as that shown in FIGS. 1-2; or a headpiece 30, such as that shownin FIGS. 3-4. However, headpieces 10 and 30 and other similar types ofheadpieces have certain deficiencies.

For example, headpiece 10 obstructs a player's vision and may interferewith a player's ability to engage during play. In particular, as shownin FIG. 1, headpiece 10 includes a guard 20 having a horizontalcomponent 21 that extends forward of a player's nose. In addition toguarding the player's nose from injury, the horizontal component 21 isdesigned to extend to a relatively high height to thereby narrow an eyeopening 22 and prevent a ball from passing through and striking theplayer's eyes. However, this design has the undesired side effect oflimiting the player's field of view. As shown in FIG. 1, the increasedheight of the horizontal component 21 significantly decreases the lowerbound of a player's field of view from a normal lower bound B1 to only alimited lower bound B2. This also creates a “blind zone” BZ between thenormal lower bound B1 and the limited lower bound B2. The loss to theplayer's field of view can prevent the player from properly performingduring a game. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a softball playerwearing headpiece 10 and attempting to field a ground ball 50 will notbe able to visually follow the ball 50 to their glove 60 due to thelimited lower bound B2 and the blind zone BZ created. This, in turn,increases the likelihood that the player will fail to properly stop theball 50, which may result in the player failing to successfully completea potentially game-changing play.

Headpiece 30, in FIGS. 3-4, attempts to solve the field of view problemsthat result from headpiece 10, but fails to fully address the problemand presents additional risks. In particular, headpiece 30 includes ahorizontal wire 41 that extends forward of a player's nose, therebyprotecting the player's nose from injury. However, to decreaseinterference to the player's field of view, the horizontal wire 41extends to a lower elevation than that of the horizontal wire 21 in theheadpiece 10. Nonetheless, even with this lower elevation of thehorizontal wire 41, headpiece 30 still limits the lower bound of aplayer's field of view, though to a lesser degree than the headpiece 10.In addition, however, a lowered horizontal wire, such as the wire 41,increases the dimensions “X1” and “Y1” of an eye opening (e.g., the eyeopening 42 in headpiece such as 30), to such a degree that it ispossible for a ball to travel through and injure the player. Thus, whilesome headpieces, such as headpiece 30, have less interference to theplayer's field of view because of a lowered horizontal wire, thereremains serious risk of injury to a player wearing the headpiece.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a protective headpiece thatadequately protects a player's face, while at the same time notinterfering with the player's field of view and performance. Inparticular, it would be desirable to provide a fielding headpiece thatprotects a player's nose and eyes while not interfering with theplayer's field of view.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an ergonomic facemask for a headpiece,and a headpiece including the ergonomic helmet. In one embodiment, theathletic headpiece includes a headband for contacting a user's forehead,a harness for contacting the back of a user's head, a plurality ofstraps for securing the harness to the headband, a facemask secured tothe headband, and a chin pad for contacting a user's chin.

In one aspect, the facemask includes a wire cage having a plurality ofhorizontal wires and a plurality of vertical wires. The plurality ofhorizontal wires includes a first horizontal wire configured to conformto a headband, and a second horizontal wire configured to extend forwardof a user's face at a height between the user's nose and the user'supper lip. The plurality of vertical wires includes a pair of lateralvertical wires and a center vertical wire that extends along thesagittal line of a user's face.

In one aspect, a sight window that aligns with a user's eyes is definedvertically between the first horizontal wire and the second horizontalwire, and is defined horizontally between the pair of lateral verticalwires. The sight window is free of any horizontal wires therein.

In another aspect, the center vertical wire shields a user's nose andforehead and also divides the sight window into a right-eye openingconfigured to align with a user's right eye and a left-eye openingconfigured to align with a user's left eye. A length of the centervertical wire between the first horizontal wire and the secondhorizontal wire is between 1.25 and 6, may be between 1.5 and 5, and maybe approximately 4 inches.

In another further aspect, the facemask includes a pair of verticallateral ends, and the ends of the second horizontal wire are affixed tothe facemask at the vertical lateral ends. Furthermore, the secondhorizontal wire may slope from a higher height at its ends where it isaffixed to the lateral ends of the facemask to a lower height at acenter, anterior point. The difference in height between the height ofthe end-points and the height of the center, anterior point is between0.5 and 6 inches, though it may be between 1 and 4 inches, or between1.25 and 2 inches, and may be approximately 1.5 inches.

In a further aspect, the mutual arrangement of the center vertical wire,including its length and sagittal alignment, together with the secondhorizontal wire, including its sloping height difference and forwardalignment relative to a user's face, acts to shield a user's face whilealso avoiding interference with the user's field of view.

The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing thefacemask and/or athletic headpiece by shaping the facemask from metal,plastic, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the method ofmanufacturing includes shaping the individual wires in the wire cageseparately and affixing the wires to one another to form the wire cage.In another embodiment, the method of manufacturing includes shaping theentire wire cage as a monolithic structure. In these embodiments, thewires may be constructed with round, rectangular, oval, or flatcross-sections, and may be either solid or hollow. In addition,different wires in the wire grid may have different cross-section shapesand different cross-section types (e.g., solid or hollow).

Both the foregoing general description and the following detaileddescription are exemplary and explanatory only and provide anexplanation of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings areincorporated in and constitute part of this specification, and areincluded to provide a further understanding of the invention; toillustrate several embodiments of the invention; and, with thedescription, explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention may be ascertained fromthe following detailed description in connection with the drawingsdescribed below:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a person wearing a firstconventional protective headpiece.

FIG. 2 illustrates a further perspective view of a player wearing theconventional headpiece of FIG. 1, while attempting to field a groundball.

FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of a second conventional headpiece.

FIG. 4 illustrates a profile view of the second conventional headpieceof FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a facemask according to a firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a profile view of the facemask of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 illustrates a front view of the facemask of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 illustrates a profile view of a user wearing the facemask of FIG.5.

FIG. 9 illustrates a front view of a user wearing the facemask of FIG.5.

FIG. 10 illustrates a front view of a first embodiment of a wire cage ofthe facemask of FIG. 5.

FIG. 11 illustrates a further front view of the wire cage of thefacemask of FIG. 5.

FIG. 12 illustrates a front view of a second embodiment of the wire cageof FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 illustrates a front view of a third embodiment of the wire cageof FIG. 10.

FIG. 14 illustrates a front view of a fourth embodiment of the wire cageof FIG. 10.

FIG. 15 illustrates a front view of a fifth embodiment of the wire cageof FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a protective facemask and protectiveheadpieces with a protective facemask. In particular, the presentinvention relates to an ergonomic facemask and an athletic headpiece,and particularly a pitcher's or a fielder's headpiece with the ergonomicfacemask, and methods of making the facemask and the headpiece with thefacemask.

The following disclosure discusses the present invention with referenceto examples in the accompanying drawings, though does not limit theinvention to those examples. For example, although the followingdiscussion addresses exemplary configurations of the novel facemask insoftball and baseball headpieces, the inventors contemplate the facemaskand headpiece to be useful in other athletic activities, as well as inother types of non-athletic activities.

Headpiece

In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5-6, the headpiece 100 is asoftball headpiece; and includes a headband 110, a harness 120 and afacemask 200. A plurality of straps 131, 132 and 133 extend from theharness 120 to engage the headband 110 and the facemask 200; and a chinpad 140 is affixed to the facemask 200 by a plate 150.

As shown in FIGS. 5-7, the headband 110 is an arcuate band arrangedwithin the headpiece 100 to contact and extend horizontally across auser's forehead. The headband 110 includes an outer shell 111 and aninner cushioning layer 112, which together protect a user from impactenergies, such as from a softball striking the headband 110 or thefacemask 200. The headband 110 further includes one or more firstfasteners 171 for engaging one or more of the straps 131-133.

As shown in FIGS. 5-6, the harness 120 is arranged in the headpiece 100to contact the back of a user's head. In one example, the harness 120may be constructed as a shell of metal or plastic that provides aprotective shielding to the back of a user's head. In another example,the harness 120 may be constructed of a fabric material that provides asoft fit to the back of a user's head; and, in particular, may be madeof an elastic fabric that provides a shape conforming and compressionfit to the back of a user's head. In one embodiment, one or more partsof the harness 120 are formed from a synthetic rubber material, such asneoprene or polychloroprene. In a further example, the harness 120 maybe constructed as a combined shell-and-fabric harness having an outershell 121 of a first material and an inner layer 122 made of one or morecushioning materials. The harness 120 further includes a plurality ofsecond fasteners 172, 173 and 174 for engaging the straps 131-133. Insome examples, the harness 120 may include a cavity 123, either througha center of the harness body or a in a perimeter of the harness body,that permits a user to extend their hair therethrough (e.g., a pony tailopening 123).

As shown in FIGS. 5-6, one or more straps 131-133 are arranged in theheadpiece 100 to extend between the harness 120 and the headband 110,and between the harness 120 and the facemask 200. The straps 131-133 maybe constructed of either an elastic material or an inelastic material.If constructed of an elastic material, the straps 131-133 may stretchsufficiently to permit a user to put-on and take-off the headpiece 100while still remaining secured to the harness 120, headband 110, andfacemask 200. If constructed of an inelastic material, then the straps131-133 may be releasably secured to one or more of the harness 120,headband 110 and facemask 200. The straps 131-133 may include one ormore of: third fasteners 175, 176, 177 for engaging the first fastener171 on the headband 110 and fifth fasteners on the facemask 200; fourthfasteners 178, 179 and 180 for engaging the second fasteners 172, 173and 174 on the harness 120; and/or adjusters 134, 135 and 136 thatpermit a user to tighten or loosen a fitting of the respective strap.

The plurality of straps 131-133 may be permanently affixed at both endsor releasably fastenable at one or more ends, and the plurality ofstraps 131-133 may include a combination of permanently affixed andreleasably fastenable straps. For example, the straps 131-133 may eachbe constructed as an individual band of fabric looped around a wire inthe facemask 200 or through an opening 171 in the headband 110 with thetwo ends of each looped band stitched to the harness 120, therebypermanently affixing the straps 131-133 within the headpiece 100. Inanother example, each strap 131-133 may again be constructed as anindividual band of fabric looped around a wire in the facemask 200 orthrough an opening in the headband 171, though the two ends of eachindividual band may be stitched to one another with each stitched pairof band endings carrying a fastener 178-180 that releasably secures therespective strap 131-133 to the harness 120. In a further example, afirst end of each strap 131-133 may be stitched to the harness 120 andthe second end may carry a fastener 175-177 that releasably secures therespective strap 131-133 to the headband 110 or the facemask 200. In yeta further example, one or more straps (e.g., a center strap 132) may bepermanently affixed between the headband 110 and the harness 120, whileone or more other straps (e.g., lateral straps 131 and 133) arereleasably fastenable at one or both ends with the harness 120 and/orthe facemask 200.

Facemask

The facemask 200 is a shield for protecting a user's face. In theexample shown in FIGS. 5-7, the facemask 200 is constructed as a wirecage including a plurality of horizontal wires and a plurality ofvertical wires. The plurality of horizontal wires may include a firsthorizontal wire 210, a second horizontal wire 220, and a thirdhorizontal wire 230. The plurality of vertical wires may include a pairof lateral vertical wires 240 and 260, and a center vertical wire 250.The facemask 200 may further include fifth fasteners 181 and 182arranged at lateral end 270 and 280 of the wire cage 201 for engagingwith third fasteners 175 and 176 on the straps 131 and 133.

The first horizontal wire 210 is the highest horizontal wire in the wirecage 201 and represents the top perimeter of the facemask 200. The firsthorizontal wire 210 conforms substantially to and engages the headband110, and may be referred to as the mount 210 (or mounting wire 210). Thefirst horizontal wire 210 may engage the headband 110 by a releasablefastener, or may be permanently affixed to the headband 110.

The second horizontal wire 220 extends horizontally between the firsthorizontal wire 210 and the third horizontal wire 230. As shown in FIGS.8-9, when the facemask 200 is worn by a user, the second horizontal wire220 extends along the user's cheek bones and forward of the user's faceat a height approximately between the bottom of the user's nose and thetop of the user's lip (e.g., forward of the user's philtrum). As such,the second horizontal wire 220 may be referred to as the zygomatic guard220 (or zygomatic guard wire 220) or the maxilla guard 220 (or maxillaguard wire 220). As shown in FIG. 11, the second horizontal wire 220extends between a point 221 at the lateral end 270 and a point 222 atthe lateral end 280 of the facemask 200 and divides a space 300, definedbetween the first horizontal wire 210 and the third horizontal wire 230,into an upper region 310 and a lower region 320.

The third horizontal wire 230 is the lowest horizontal wire in the wirecage 201 and represents the bottom perimeter of the facemask 200. Asshown in FIGS. 8-9, when the facemask 200 is worn by a user, the thirdhorizontal wire 230 extends along the user's lower jaw and forward ofthe user's face at a height approximately between the bottom of theuser's bottom lip and 2 inches below the user's chin. In anotherexample, the third horizontal wire 230 may extend along forward of theuser's face at a height approximately between a height level with auser's chin and 1 inch below the user's chin. The third horizontal wire230 may be referred to as the mandible guard 230 (or mandible guard wire230).

As shown in FIG. 10, the vertical wires 240, 250 and 260 each extendfrom the first horizontal wire 210 to the second horizontal wire 220.The lateral vertical wires 240 and 260 extend vertically between points241-242 and 261-262, respectively, on opposites sides of a center line“C” of the facemask 200; and the center vertical wire 250 extendsvertically between points 251-252 on the center line “C”. In the exampleshown in FIG. 10, the center vertical wire 250 has a length between 1.25and 6 inches, though it may instead have a length between 1.5 and 5inches, and may have an approximate length of 4 inches. As shown in FIG.9, when observed relative to a user's face, the lateral vertical wires240 and 260 extend vertically on opposites sides of the sagittal line“S”; and the center vertical wire 250 extends approximately along thesagittal line “S”. The central vertical wire 250 may also be referred toas the sagittal guard 250 (or the sagittal guard wire 250).

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the facemask 200 includes lowervertical wires 245, 255 and 265 that align respectively with thevertical wires 240, 250 and 260 and extend between the second horizontalwire 220 and the third horizontal wire 230. These lower vertical wires245, 255 and 265 may also be referred to respectively as vertical braces245, 255 and 265. In particular, the lower vertical wires 245, 255 and265 may be monolithic extensions of the vertical wires 240, 250 and 260;or they may be separately formed wires that brace the second horizontalwire 220 and are affixed thereto either in-alignment ourout-of-alignment with the vertical wires 240, 250 and 260. When thelower vertical wires 245, 255 and 265 are monolithic extensions of thevertical wires 240, 250 and 260, then these combined lengths of wire(e.g., 240+245; 250+255; and 260+265) may be referred to simply as thevertical wires 240, 250 and 260 extending respectively between points241-243, 251-253 and 261-263. When the lower vertical wires 245, 255,and 265 are not monolithically formed with the vertical wires 240, 250and 260, then the lower vertical wires may be referred to respectivelyas vertical braces 245, 255, and 265.

In one example, as shown in FIG. 12, there may be four vertical braces,all of which are out-of-alignment with the vertical wires 240, 250 and260. In another example, as shown in FIG. 13, there may be a lowercenter vertical wire that is a monolithic extension of the centervertical wire 250 (the center vertical wire 250 thus extending betweenpoints 251-253); and there may be two lateral vertical braces that areout-of-alignment with the lateral vertical wires 240 and 260. In afurther example, as shown in FIG. 14, there may be two lateral verticalbraces 245 and 265 that are aligned with, though separately formed from,the lateral vertical wires 240 and 260 (the lateral vertical wires 240and 260 thus extending respectively only between points 241-242 and261-262); and there may be two off-center vertical braces that areout-of alignment with the center vertical wire 250. In yet a furtherexample, as shown in FIG. 15, each of the vertical wires 240, 250, and260 may terminate at the second horizontal wire 220 and there may be nolower vertical wires or vertical braces between the second horizontalwire 220 and the third horizontal wire 230. Instead, one or morealternative support structures 290 may extend between the secondhorizontal wire 220 and the third horizontal wire 230, such as: anetwork of mesh wiring; and a shell structure (such as a polycarbonateshield or visor) with or without vent openings.

In the example shown in FIG. 11, the plurality of vertical wires 240,250 and 260 overlap the plurality of horizontal wires 210, 220 and 230,with each of the vertical wires secured to each of the horizontal wires.The second horizontal wire 220 divides a space 300, defined between thefirst horizontal wire 210 and the third horizontal wire 230, into anupper region 310 and a lower region 320. The lateral vertical wires 240and 260 sub-divide the upper region 310 into a pair of upper lateralopenings 311 and 314 and an upper center opening 315. As shown in FIG.9, the upper center opening 315 aligns with a user's eyes, and may bereferred to as the sight window 315. When extending to the thirdhorizontal wire 230, the lateral vertical wires 240 and 260 likewisesub-divide the lower region 320 into a pair of lower lateral openings321 and 324 and a lower center opening 325. The center vertical wire 250sub-divides the upper center opening 315 into an upper right-centeropening 312 and an upper left-center opening 313 (with “right” and“left” being relative to a user's perspective when wearing the facemask200). As shown in FIG. 9, the upper right-center and upper left-centeropenings 312 and 313 align respectively with a user's right and lefteyes, and may be referred to respectively as the right-eye window 312and the left-eye window 313. When extending to the third horizontal wire230, the center vertical wire 250 likewise sub-divides the lower centeropening 325 into a lower right-center opening 322 and a lowerleft-center opening 323.

The openings in the facemask 200 are each sized and dimensioneddependent on the particular activity for which the facemask 200 isdesigned. In particular, if the facemask 200 is designed for use in asport activity having a moving ball or other projectile then each of theopenings is sized and dimensioned to prevent the ball or otherprojectile from passing a sufficient distance through any of theopenings to contact a user's face. For example, if the facemask 200 is asoftball facemask, then the openings are sized and dimensioned relativeto a softball. Softballs generally have a circumference between 10inches and 12.125 inches, and a diameter between 3.18 inches and 3.86inches. In an embodiment, a facemask 200 may be constructed withopenings having particular dimensions in the “x” and “y” directionsshown in FIG. 11. In particular, the upper lateral openings 311 and 314may measure 2.1 inches or less, and may be between 1.5 to 1 inch, in thex-horizontal direction; and may measure 3.2 inches or less, and may bebetween 2.4 and 1.6 inches, in the y-vertical direction. The lowerlateral openings 321 and 324 may measure 2.3 inches or less, and may bebetween 1.75 and 1.2 inches, in the x-horizontal direction; and maymeasure 2.3 inches or less, and may be between 1.75 and 1.2 inches, inthe y-vertical direction. The lower right-front and left-front openings322 and 323 may measure 2.4 inches or less, and may be between 1.8 and1.2 inches, in the x-horizontal direction; and may measure 2.9 inches orless, and may be between 2.2 and 1.5 inches, in the y-verticaldirection. The upper right-front and left-front openings 312 and 313 maymeasure 2.8 inches or less, and may be between 2.1 and 1.4 inches in thex-horizontal direction; and may measure 6 inches or less, may be between4 and 1 inch, and may be approximately 1.5 inches in the y-verticaldirection.

In an alternative example, if the facemask 200 is designed for use inbaseball then the “x” and “y” dimensions of the openings are insteaddetermined relative to the dimensions of baseballs, which generally havea circumference between 9 inches and 9.125 inches, and a diameterbetween 2.87 inches and 2.94 inches. The same principles apply ifconstructing the facemask 200 for use in other athletic activities(e.g., as a hockey facemask the openings would have “x” and “y”measurements relative to the average dimensions of hockey pucks).

The plate 150, as shown in FIGS. 7-9, has an outer surface oriented awayfrom a user's face and an inner surface oriented toward a user's face.The outer surface of the plate 150 is affixed to the facemask 200, and achin pad 140 is affixed to the inner surface of the plate 150.

As shown in FIGS. 8-9, the plate 150 may be affixed to one or more ofthe vertical wires 240, 250 and 260 and extend horizontally withoutcontacting the third horizontal wire 230. For example, the plate 150 maybe affixed to and extend horizontally across one or more of the verticalwires 240, 250 and 260 at a height above and out-of-contact with thethird horizontal wire 230. Alternatively, the plate 150 may be affixedto and extend along the third horizontal wire 230, without contactingany of the vertical wires 240, 250 and 260. For example, the verticalwires 240, 250, and 260 may be affixed to an outer surface of the thirdhorizontal wire 230, while the plate 150 is affixed to and extends alongan inner surface of the third horizontal wire 230. In a furtheralternative, the plate 150 may be affixed to the third horizontal wire230 and one or more vertical wires 240, 250 and 260. The chin pad 140 isa cushioning layer that is arranged in the facemask 200 to contact auser's chin, and protects a user from impact energies, such as when asoftball strikes the facemask 200.

In the foregoing examples, the center vertical wire 250 is configured toextend along the center line “C” and/or the sagittal line “S” (betweeneither the points 251-252, or the points 251-253). When extendingbetween the points 251-252, the center vertical wire 250 shields aplayer's nose, forehead, and upper jaw. When extending between thepoints 251-253, the center vertical wire 250 further shields a player'slower jaw.

Also in the foregoing examples, the second horizontal wire 220 extendsbetween the lateral sides 270 and 280, and is configured to extend alonga user's cheeks and forward of the user's face in a region between theuser's nose and upper lip. With this arrangement the second horizontalwire 220 shield a user's cheek bones and upper jaw. However, with thelow elevation of the second horizontal wire 220 at a height between auser's nose and upper lip, the second horizontal wire 220 does notinterfere with the user's field of view. In particular, as shown in FIG.8, the second horizontal wire 220 is positioned at such an elevationthat it is below the normal lower bound B2 of a user's field of view.

Advantageously the facemasks of the foregoing examples avoidinterference with a user's field of view while also continuing toadequately shield the user's face. In particular, whereas lowering thebottom wire of an eye-opening in a conventional facemask enlarges aneye-opening to a size that a ball might pass therethrough, the facemasksin the foregoing examples prevent any such risk by the combinedarrangement of the second horizontal wire 220 and the center verticalwire 250. In particular, the lowered elevation of the second horizontalwire 220 avoids interference with a user's field of view while thecenter vertical wire 250 divides the upper center opening 315 into twosmaller openings 312 and 313 that prevent a ball from passingtherethrough.

With the combined arrangement of the second horizontal wire 220 and thecenter vertical wire 250, it's possible to lower the elevation of thesecond horizontal wire 220 to a height that is as much as 1½ incheslower than the bottom wire of an eye-opening in conventional facemasks,as measured in a caudal-to-cranial direction when a user wears aheadpiece with the facemask 200 and levels their head with thetransverse plane “T”, as shown in FIGS. 8-9. In addition, the secondhorizontal wire 220 may extend from a relatively high height at its ends221 and 222, to a relative low height at its forward-most point, ananterior point 223, that aligns approximately with the sagittal line“S”. For example, as shown in FIGS. 8-9, the second horizontal wire 220may have a height H1 measured at its ends 221 and 222, and a height H2measured at its anterior point 223. In one example, a difference ΔHbetween the heights H1 and H2 may be between 0.5 and 6 inches. Inanother example, the difference ΔH may be between 1 and 4 inches. In afurther example, the difference ΔH may be between 1.25 and 2.5 inches;and may be approximately 1.5 inches. As such, the horizontal wire 220alone may protect a user's temples, cheek bones and upper jaw whilebeing constructed with a single curvature.

Surprisingly, the inventors have found that the center vertical wire 250does not obstruct or hinder a user's field of view. In particular, dueto the horizontal anatomy of a user's eyes and the orientation of thecenter vertical wire 250 approximately along the sagittal plane “S”, auser cannot easily focus on the center vertical wire 250, and the wirevirtually disappears from a user's field of view. The visual presence ofthe center vertical wire 250 may be further diminished through apreferred wire construction. In particular, the vertical wire 250 mayhave a rectangular cross-sectional area, or the vertical center wire 250may have a cross-sectional area, as viewed along an axis extending fromthe point 251 to the point 252, that is tapered in one or moredirections. For example, the center vertical wire 250 may have awedge-shaped cross-sectional area that tapers from a narrower width to alarger width in travelling toward or away from the user's eyes. Inanother example, the center vertical wire 250 may have an oval-shapedcross-sectional area that tapers from a narrower width at a sideproximate to the user's eyes, to a larger width at a center of the wire,and back to a narrower width at a side distal from a user's eyes.

Methods of Manufacture

Suitable materials for constructing the cushioning layers 112 and 122,the straps 131-133, and the chin pad 140, may include materials such as:cotton, velveteen, linen, wool, canvas, nylon, spandex, polyester,leather, foam, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), polyurethane, vinylnitrile, and combinations of the foregoing. The inner cushioning layers112 and 122, and the chin pad 140, will have contact surfaces forcontacting a user's forehead and the back of a user's head respectively.In some examples, one or more of these contact surfaces may be made of asynthetic rubber material, such as neoprene or polychloroprene, or anequivalent thereof, to provide the contact surface with afriction-enhancing tacky surface texture that reduces shifting of theheadband 110 or the harness 120 on the user's head. In this manner, eachof the inner cushioning layer 112, the inner layer 122, and the chin pad140 may be constructed with a user inwardly facing user contact surfacethat has a higher coefficient of friction than the coefficient offriction on an outwardly facing surface thereof. The forgoing textilecomponents may be constructed by textile working methods such asstitching: sewing; weaving; knitting; braiding; thermal, mechanical, orchemical bonding; and combinations thereof.

Suitable structures for use as one or more of the fasteners 171-182 mayinclude: one or more u-shaped clamps; one or more j-shaped hooks; matingarrangements of snap-fasteners; mating arrangements of hooks-and-loops(e.g., Velcro®); an opening adapted to receive a secured bolttherethrough; an opening adapted to receive a looped strap; a matinghook-and-clasp; a mating buckle-and-opening; and the like. Ifpermanently affixing one or more components together then a fastener maybe substituted by, or may include: stitching; gluing; welding; amonolithic construction (e.g., casting, molding, etc.); an integratedconstruction (e.g., closed or substantially-closed loops secured arounda narrowed region in a received structure); and combinations of theforegoing.

The headband 110, the facemask 200, the plate 150, and the harness 120(when constructed with a shell component), may be constructed and shapedfrom metal or plastic. Suitable metals may include: aluminum, steel,carbon, cobalt, chromium, iron, nickel, magnesium, tin, titanium, zinc,cast metals, and combinations thereof. Suitable plastics may includehigh impact plastics, such as polycarbonate, reinforced fiber plastics,carbon fiber, and combinations thereof. If constructed from metal, thesecomponents may be shaped by processes such as: stamping; pressing;spinning; casting; and combinations of the foregoing. Alternatively, ifconstructed from plastic, these components may be shaped by processessuch as: blow molding; injection molding; extrusion; vacuum molding;hot-pressing; three-dimensional layering; and combinations of theforegoing.

When forming the facemask 200, one or more of the wires may be formedseparately and affixed to one another to construct the wire cage 201.For example, each individual wire may be drawn into a straight rod,shaped with a desired curvature through one or more bending techniques,and welded to one another to construct the wire cage 201. Alternatively,a single metal rod may be bent to achieve the desired shape for one ormore of the wires. For example, the first horizontal wire 210 and thethird horizontal wire 230 may be constructed from a single perimeterwire that extends along the lengths identified as: the first horizontalwire 210, the lateral side 280, the third horizontal wire 230, and thelateral side 270. In a further aspect, all of the wires in the wire cage201 may be constructed as a single monolithic structure (e.g., by acasting or molding process). If constructing the facemask 200 with amonolithic wire cage 201, then the headband 110 and plate 150 may alsobe constructed monolithically with the wire cage 201.

The wires of wire cage 201 may be constructed with a number of shapes.In one example, the wires are constructed as rounded rods. In anotherexample, the wires have a rectangular shaped cross-section. Inalternative examples, the wires may be flat bars, or bars having taperedcross-sections (e.g., wedge-shaped, oval shaped, etc.), and may beoriented to display a narrowed width in a user's field of view, therebyincreasing the strength and integrity of the wire cage 201 while alsominimizing both the interference to a user's field of view and theweight of the facemask 200. The wires of the wire cage 201 may beconstructed with either solid cross-sections or hollow-cross sections.Wires constructed with a hollow cross-section may have a largercross-sectional perimeter. For example, a wire constructed with a solidrectangular cross-section may have a perimeter measuring 0.127 inches by0.235 inches, whereas the same wire constructed with a hollowrectangular cross-section may have a perimeter measuring 0.212 inches by0.302 inches. In some examples, some of the wires may be constructedwith a first shape and a first cross-section type (e.g., solid orhollow), while other wires in the wire grid 201 are constructed with asecond shape and/or a second cross-sectional type. For example, thecenter wire 250 may be constructed with a first shape that improves bothstrength and visibility, while the remaining wires in the wire cage 201are constructed with a second shape that improves strength though notvisibility.

Though the foregoing examples focus primarily on a facemask having threehorizontal wires and three vertical wires, other embodiments of thefacemask may include additional vertical and/or horizontal wires. Inparticular, additional wires may be added to further narrow openings inthe wire cage, as needed for a particular ball or other projectile;and/or to increase the strength and integrity of the wire cage. Forexample, additional vertical wires may extend between the secondhorizontal wire 220 and the third horizontal wire 230 through any of theopenings 321-324. In another example, additional vertical wires mayextend between the first horizontal wire 210 and either the secondhorizontal wire 220 or the third horizontal wire 230 respectivelythrough the upper lateral openings 311 and 314 or through both the upperand lower lateral openings 311, 314, 321 and 324. In a further example,additional horizontal wires may extend between the lateral end 270 andthe lateral vertical wire 240, and/or between the lateral end 280 andthe lateral vertical wire 260. Such additional horizontal wires mayextend along a user's temples, and be referred to as temple guards (ortemple guard wires).

In embodiments where the wires are made from a metal material, aprotective coating may be applied to the wires to prevent deteriorationof the metal and/or any welding materials. Suitable protective coatingsmay include a bonded vinyl powder coating, dipped rubber coatings, andcombinations and equivalents thereof.

Although the present invention has been described with reference toparticular embodiments, it will be understood to those skilled in theart that the disclosure is exemplary only and that various otheralternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within thescope and spirit of the present invention.

For example, although the foregoing examples have been discussedrelative to softball and baseball headpieces, those skilled in the artwill appreciate that the invention is also applicable to other athleticheadpieces, as well as other headpieces not limited to athletic use.Also, although the foregoing examples focus primarily on embodimentswherein a headband is secured to user's head by a harness that is joinedto the headband by one or more straps, it is understood that theheadband may instead be secured to a user's head merely by one or morestraps, without the inclusion of a harness. In addition, it isunderstood that the headband may be secured to a user's head by aharness that directly engages the headband without straps. For example,the harness may be constructed as either a fabric shell or a grid offabric strands that is either affixed to the headband or carries one ormore fasteners for engaging the headband without any straps interposedbetween the harness and the headband. Furthermore, although theforegoing examples discuss arrangements of the facemask in aharness-supported headpiece, those skilled in the art will appreciatethat the facemask (as well as the facemask with a harness) may be usedwith helmets, including full-shell helmets. The invention may furtherinclude additional features, if desired, including features that areknown and used in the art.

To the extent necessary to understand or complete the disclosure of thepresent invention, all publications, patents, and patent applicationsmentioned herein are expressly incorporated by reference to the sameextent as though each were individually so incorporated. In addition,ranges expressed in the disclosure include the endpoints of each range,all values in between the end points, and all intermediate rangessubsumed by the end points and the values between the end points.

The present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments asillustrated herein, but is instead characterized by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An athletic headpiece, comprising: a headband forcontacting a user's forehead; a harness for contacting the back of auser's head; a plurality of straps for securing the harness to theheadband; a facemask secured to the headband; and a chin pad forcontacting a user's chin; wherein the facemask comprises a wire cagecomprising a plurality of horizontal wires and a plurality of verticalwires, wherein the plurality of horizontal wires comprises a firsthorizontal wire secured to the headband, and a second horizontal wirethat is configured to extend forward of a user's face at a heightbetween the user's nose and the user's upper lip, wherein the pluralityof vertical wires comprises a center vertical wire that is configured toextend along the sagittal line of a user's face, wherein a space betweenthe first horizontal wire and the second horizontal wire is a sightwindow that is configured to align with a user's eyes, and the centervertical wire divides the sight window into a right-eye openingconfigured to align with a user's right eye and a left-eye openingconfigured to align with a user's left eye.
 2. The athletic headpiece ofclaim 1, wherein the sight window between the first horizontal wire andthe second horizontal wire excludes additional horizontal wires.
 3. Theathletic headpiece of claim 1, wherein a length of the center verticalwire that extends between a point on the first horizontal wire and apoint on the second horizontal wire is between 1.25 inches and 6 inches.4. The athletic headpiece of claim 3, wherein the length of the centervertical wire that extends between the point on the first horizontalwire and the point on the second horizontal wire is between 1.5 inchesand 5 inches.
 5. The athletic headpiece of claim 1, wherein the wirecage further comprises: a third horizontal wire that is the bottomperimeter of the wire cage; and lateral ends at opposite sides of thewire cage that extend between the first horizontal wire and the thirdhorizontal wire, and the second horizontal wire is affixed at its endpoints to the lateral ends of the wire cage, and the second horizontalwire extends horizontally between the first horizontal wire and thesecond horizontal wire.
 6. The athletic headpiece of claim 5, whereinthe second horizontal wire is affixed at its end points to the lateralends of the wire cage at locations between locations where the lateralends are affixed to the first horizontal wire and the third horizontalwire.
 7. The athletic headpiece of claim 5, wherein a difference inheight, as measured when the headpiece is worn by a user and the userlevels their head relative to the transverse plane, between the endpoints of the second horizontal wire and an anterior point of the secondhorizontal wire is between 0.5 inches and 6 inches.
 8. The athleticheadpiece of claim 7, wherein the difference in height between the endpoints of the second horizontal wire and the anterior point of thesecond horizontal wire is between 1.5 inches and 2.5 inches.
 9. Theathletic headpiece of claim 1, wherein the wire cage further comprises apair of lateral vertical wires that are configured to extend verticallyon opposite sides of a center line of the wire cage, and a horizontalwidth of the sight window is defined by the lateral vertical wires. 10.The athletic headpiece of claim 1, wherein: the wire cage furthercomprises a third horizontal wire that is the bottom perimeter of thewire cage, and the center vertical wire extends from the firsthorizontal wire to the third horizontal wire.
 11. A facemask for anathletic headpiece comprising: a wire cage comprising a plurality ofhorizontal wires and a plurality of vertical wires, wherein theplurality of horizontal wires comprises a first horizontal wire securedto the headband, and a second horizontal wire that is configured toextend forward of a user's face at a height between the user's nose andthe user's upper lip, wherein the plurality of vertical wires comprisesa pair of lateral vertical wires arranged on opposite sides of a centerline of the wire cage, and a center vertical wire that is configured toextend along the sagittal line of a user's face, wherein a space betweenthe first horizontal wire and the second horizontal wire is a sightwindow that is configured to align with a user's eyes, and the centervertical wire divides the sight window into a right-eye openingconfigured to align with a user's right eye and a left-eye openingconfigured to align with a user's left eye.
 12. The facemask of claim11, wherein the sight window between the first horizontal wire and thesecond horizontal wire excludes additional horizontal wires.
 13. Thefacemask of claim 11, wherein a length of the center vertical wire thatextends between a point on the first horizontal wire and a point on thesecond horizontal wire is between 1.25 inches and 6 inches.
 14. Thefacemask of claim 13, wherein the length of the center vertical wirethat extends between the point on the first horizontal wire and thepoint on the second horizontal wire is between 1.5 inches and 5 inches.15. The facemask of claim 11, wherein the wire cage further comprises: athird horizontal wire that is the bottom perimeter of the wire cage; andlateral ends at opposite sides of the wire cage that extend between thefirst horizontal wire and the third horizontal wire, and the secondhorizontal wire is affixed at its end points to the lateral ends of thewire cage, and the second horizontal wire extends horizontally betweenthe first horizontal wire and the second horizontal wire.
 16. Thefacemask of claim 15, wherein the second horizontal wire is affixed atits end points to the lateral ends of the wire cage at locations betweenlocations where the lateral ends are affixed to the first horizontalwire and the third horizontal wire.
 17. The facemask of claim 15,wherein a difference in height, as measured when the facemask is worn bya user and the user levels their head relative to the transverse plane,between the end points of the second horizontal wire and an anteriorpoint of the second horizontal wire is between 0.5 inches and 6 inches.18. The facemask of claim 17, wherein the difference in height betweenthe end points of the second horizontal wire and the anterior point ofthe second horizontal wire is between 1.5 inches and 2.5 inches.
 19. Thefacemask of claim 11, wherein the wire cage further comprises a pair oflateral vertical wires that are configured to extend vertically onopposite sides of a center line of the wire cage, and a horizontal widthof the sight window is defined by the lateral vertical wires.
 20. Thefacemask of claim 11, wherein the wire cage further comprises a thirdhorizontal wire that is the bottom perimeter of the wire cage, and thecenter vertical wire extends from the first horizontal wire to the thirdhorizontal wire.